Sugar polyesters are a diverse class of molecules including, but not limited to, glucose and sucrose esters of fatty acids and other carboxylic acids.
Partial acylation of the available hydroxyls in the sugar moiety provides feeding deterrent (pest repellent) properties (for use in agriculture), emulsification properties (for use in the food and cosmetic industries) and emollient properties (for use in the cosmetic industry). Six to eight fatty acids esterified to the eight available sucrose hydroxyls provides noncaloric fat substitute.
At present, the sugar polyesters are made through techniques of synthetic organic chemistry.